There are spectacular views of the Alps from the gorge and our walking tracks are a great way to see our waterfalls, granite pinnacles, snow plains and forests. So spoil yourself and "Visit Mount Buffalo" this Winter.

Parks
Victoria produces regular video updates to highlight the progress that
has been made on the external maintenance works program at the Mount
Buffalo Chalet.

This is the second video blog featuring Julien Atherstone, Area Chief Rangers Ovens.

Works are on track and there have been some significant structurual
milestones achieved over recent weeks with over 500 stumps replaced, a
number of bearers replaced that had been sitting on the ground and
external walls reclad. The water supply line from Crystal Brook was also
reconnected this week.

The Mount Buffalo Chalet is currently closed. see below for information

What is happening at Mount Buffalo CHALET?The
current plan is to make all of the existing buildings weatherproof and safe.
There will also be the development of a Cafe / Day shelter and upgraded toilet facilities in the Gorge Precinct car park area

Welcome
to Parks Victoria’s regular newsletter, providing visitors and
interested local community members with an update on activities and our
ongoing work to improve Mount Buffalo National Park.

There have been brief bursts of summer in the North East over the past
few weeks, enough sunshine to wake the mountain. The mornings are
song-filled with the chatter, squawks, croaks, rustles and tweets of
birds, frogs and insects; and, across the snow plains, it is like an
artist has applied broad brush strokes of vibrant colour.

With the opening of the Lake Catani Campground, works have commenced to
upgrade the septic system at Lakeside which will be completed before
the end of December. In February, the redesign and refurbishment of the
stone structure will commence. The original footprint of the building
will accommodate an open-plan picnic shelter with tables and free gas
barbeques and an enclosed area with well-lit modern toilet facilities.

We are confident that the end result of a sheltered picnic area
over-looking the lake will be highly sought after, and staff are already
hearing of locals who plan to escape the heat of late summer by
bringing the extended family up to relax and swim at the lake.

The Parks Victoria team looks forward to welcoming you to Mount
Buffalo National Park and wishes you and your families a safe and
healthy New Year!

Video blog

Parks Victoria is introducing regular video updates featuring
Julien Atherstone, Area Chief Ranger Ovens and Cameron Sanderson, the
Project Manager overseeing the external maintenance works program at the
Chalet.

Please help us spread the word by sharing the update to other interested individuals or organisations.

Seasonal Ranger Amanda joins Buffalo team

Parks Victoria welcomed Amanda Smith, our latest Seasonal Ranger to the Buffalo team earlier this month.
Amanda will work through until Easter and her expertise in guided
children and family activities will be a great addition to the team.
Amanda plans to reintroduce campfire nights at Lake Catani with
damper-making, games, music and good old-fashioned family fun.

A new activity this year will be the Starry Starry Film Night on the
slopes at Dingo Dell which will bring the park and its history to life
on a ‘biggish’ screen. Further information about the Mount Buffalo
holiday program is available on www.parkweb.vic.gov.au

‘Light on the hill’ to be switched back on!

For many people who live in the Ovens Valley, the sight of the
‘light on the hill’” shining down from the Chalet as they drove along
the Great Alpine Road was both a comfort and an inspiration that Buffalo
and the Chalet were there. Since the Chalet’s closure, the
light has been turned off and Parks Victoria has received many comments
from locals and visitors alike that it will be a significant milestone
to see the light switched back on.

The lower old train light and the higher spotlight at the front of the
Chalet have recently been removed to be refurbished and have energy
efficient globes installed. Parks Victoria is delighted to confirm that
when the external maintenance works are completed next year, with a
newly installed remote power system, the ‘light on the hill’ will be
ceremoniously switched back on to signify the new chapter in the
Chalet’s history.

Chalet works and Lakeside upgrades

These pictures show some of the recent works underway at Mount Buffalo
National Park and we couldn't resist including a picture of Lake Catani
with the wildflowers in front of the sign.

The top two pictures are of the Chalet with the windows removed for
restoration and the rhodendrons in full blossom as well as restored
weatherboards and windows along the north wall. The bottom right hand
picture is the commencement of work at Lakeside Day Visitor Area.

Chalet’s archway reinstalled

With the $2.8 million external maintenance works well underway,
much of the hard work up to this point has been on the not-so-obvious
but fundamental projects such as restumping and restoring structural
integrity. However, the recent reinstallation of the famous
archway at the entrance to the Mount Buffalo Chalet Gardens has been an
exciting milestone for Parks Victoria staff and the local community.

The previous archway, with flaking paint and rotten timbers, was taken
down several months ago and with precise attention to detail, former
Chalet Gardner, Alex Fraser re-routed a new piece of timber, milled to
the same standards as previously and the archway is back to welcome
visitors to the Chalet.

Removing Mount Buffalo Ski Lifts

For the last 10 years, since the Mount Buffalo Ski Resort closed, the
lift infrastructure at Cresta Valley and Dingo Dell has stood unused,
rusting and dilapidated. The impact of changing climate conditions with
declining snow falls, combined with the huge costs of reactivating the
lifts, has informed Parks Victoria’s decision to run an Expression of
Interest (EOI) process next year for the removal the ski lifts.

The removal will both restore the natural values of the site and allow
an improved visitor experience with snow play, bushwalking and cross
country skiing at the site. The removal will also allow Parks Victoria
to consider viable options for the site’s future use as part of the
Visitor Experience Plan, ‘Strategic Directions for Mount Buffalo
National Park’ currently under development.

Mount Buffalo is one of Victoria’s oldest national parks, dating to
1898 when the government reserved 1165ha around Eurobin Falls. The park
now covers over 31 000 ha. One of the goals of the Management Plan is
conserve the cultural significance of the historic areas and places.
Supporting the management of Mount Buffalo Chalet in accordance with the
Heritage Act to enhance visitor experience and conserve heritage is a
strategy highlighted in the Management Plan.

For further information about the Greater Alpine National Parks Management Plan visit www.parkweb.vic.gov.au/alpsplan and to read the media release for the Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change, Lily D'Ambrosio, click here.

Dingoes – they’re not domestic pets, don’t touch or feed

Dingoes have been seen at Mount Buffalo for many years.
Parks Victoria rangers have recently noticed dingoes in areas popular
with visitors. This is likely to be a result of dingoes searching for
food. Visitors have also been seen feeding dingoes which encourages them
to approach people.

Julien Atherstone, Area Chief Ranger, Ovens said: "It's important that
visitors do not feed or interact with dingoes as they are wildlife that
should not be confused with or treated like domestic pets”.

Julien also said: “Dingoes are listed as a threatened species in
Victoria and protected on public land if beyond 3km of private land. The
dingoes sighted at Mount Buffalo are beyond 3km of private land.”

Parks Victoria supports the wild dog control program that DELWP
currently implements at the base of Mount Buffalo to protect livestock
from the impact of wild dogs. The Wild dog control program is developed
by DELWP in partnership with the community.

Want to find out more?

If you would like further information about any of the projects
underway at Mount Buffalo National Park, please contact Julien
Atherstone, Ovens Area Chief Ranger on 13 1963.